Tandem Cycling - Sebring Tandem Rally Cancelled

Got a short note from Reg & Michele Ullmann that many rally aficianados have ridden with in the past. They had just gotten the word that the Sebring Tandem Rally was cancelled. I called the Kenilworth Lodge and verified. Below is the basic text of that email:

"I received a message today that said, due to the economy, the Sebring Tandem Rally has been cancelled.

The Kenilworth said they will still offer 10% discounts on rooms, route sheets and a dinner, but there will be no SAG support or rest stops.

We will keep our reservations at the Marriott and ride in Sebring April 4th & 5th as planned.

You probably want to contact the Kenilworth if you were already registered or had reservations with them, unless you got the same message from them yourself.

Let us know if you still plan to attend and we'll try to put an update together between now & then."


Bill & Maggi
05 Trek T2000
Clearwater, Fl.
http://billnmaggi.tandemrides.com

Got a phone message about this. Haven't really discussed it with the wife, but had a similar thought about going and riding anyway without support.

We'll have a better idea by tomorrow evening.

PK

any one know how they are refunding fees???? we are still planning on going and riding...

The one time we attended the Sebring Tandem Ride, we decided not to ride *THE* route that everyone else took. We did our own thing by riding around the lake and out to the park and it was wonderful. In fact, based on discussion with other riders, it sounds like our route was actually nicer - albeit shorter and slower.

There are some really nice roads around there - a small group ride would be really nice.

-Ken

We are going to head over also.

How do we want to coordinate this?

As for refunds, my wife spoke to the person from Kenilworth, they would refund your money or they had some options but no final details at the time she spoke with them. There was mention of using the entry towards a room and dinner, but again I got the impression it was not finalized.

The event person did mention only 12 teams signed up but 4 had already called and stated they planned to come anyway. If you folks think it may be a good idea, possibly the event coordinator could let the others know, or provide some contact information, that some are planning to still ride anyhow.

PK

We are going to head over also.

How do we want to coordinate this?

As for refunds, my wife spoke to the person from Kenilworth, they would refund your money or they had some options but no final details at the time she spoke with them. There was mention of using the entry towards a room and dinner, but again I got the impression it was not finalized.

The event person did mention only 12 teams signed up but 4 had already called and stated they planned to come anyway. If you folks think it may be a good idea, possibly the event coordinator could let the others know, or provide some contact information, that some are planning to still ride anyhow.

PK

Any idea how many teams are coming? We're debating still going.

We have received many inquiries surrounding the Sebring ride, primarily "who's still going" and "where do we meet up", etc. Maggi and I are not sure if we will even make it at this point, but apparently many will. Passing on information from one email:
************
Though the Kenilworth has cancelled, the ride goes on.....
Dinner for as many as the private room at Chicane's can hold on Friday night
or wherever you would like. Saturday night we have a large room reserved at
The Watering Hole ....
*************
Also, from telephone conversations with some who are going for sure, the gist seems to be that if you show up Friday night at Chicane's or Saturday morning at 8AM at the Kenilworth, you'll find tandems to ride with whatever additional information as is available. There also appears to be a chance that if you show up Friday at the Kenilworth at 8AM there *may* be some ready to ride then, too, but that's *not* a certainty.

This will be posted both on the tandem@hobbes list as well as the bike forums tandem group.

Any idea how many teams are coming? We're debating still going.

We will not be there until Friday evening as we have to work.

Barring no crisis we'll be at the Kenilworth Saturday morning.

PK

As stated above, Michele & I plan to attend. Send me a PM if you're not already signed up with Jill Turner and want to attend one or both dinners that she's reserving rooms for, and I'll send you her contact info.
-Reg

We had a good time and met some great people.

Wife counted 12 tandems total. Some from Kenilworth, some from Residence Inn, and the one couple that camped.

Thanks to Jill for making reservations and so forth and thanks to all that welcomed us as newcomers to this rally format type of group riding.

Jeanne and Paul

As Jeanne & Paul mentioned....it was a great 2 days of riding with other tandems. Jill did a great job of pulling it together (with Marc's help). Here are some pics I snapped.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=115616&id=513665733&l=7752b4fa1c

As most other life experiences reflect; quality overcomes quantity.

We had a great time at Sebring and look forward to sharing many more miles with teams we met this weekend.

We'll try to keep in touch with this year's participants, and potential organizers, to see if we can get some momentum back that might be able to keep a spring tandem event in place for a 2010 and beyond in Central FL.

See pics below of bikeguy & PMK enjoying their 1st Sebring non-rally.